Opera Scotland

Rigoletto 1909Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Rigoletto

The Scotsman (27 February) reviewed the previous night's performance,  from which cast details have been extracted.

"One of the oustanding features of the Carl Rosa Company's visit to Edinburgh last spring was an excellent production of Verdi's Rigoletto, which had not previously been heard in edinburgh for many years.  Last night's repetition of the opera was in every respect of a similar merit as the earlier performance, and as long as it is possible to secure as satisfactory a rendering as it received last night, Rigoletto might with advantage have an established place in the current operatic repertoire.  While it makes heavy demands on the resources of an opera company, for it requires singers who can act as well as sing, Rigoletto has much to commend it to public favour.  The plot is intelligible, and every musical detail is closely knit with the development of the story.  Musically, as well as dramatically, the characters are all real people.  As the ill-fated Jester, Mr Charles Victor's performance last night possessed merit of a high order.  The continually conflicting claims of the dramatic and musical aspects of the character were always happily adjusted, and the interpretation as a whole was one which held eye and ear with a compelling interest.  The Gilda of Miss Elizabeth Burgess and the Duke of Mr George Wheatley were in their several ways equally effective.  Mr Arthur Winckworth was a picturesque Sparafucile, the sombre music of the part being given with a fine sonority.  As Count Monterone, Mr Frederick Clendon gave a good account of a character which is, vocally, exacting, while dramatically rather thankless.  Among the minor characters, the Countess Ceprano of Miss Bessie Cartwright, Miss Christine Ritz as Maddalena, and Miss Douglas Wilson as Giovanna, all did well.  Chorus and orchestra were alike in keeping with the general merit of the production, and great praise is due to Mr Goossens, who conducted last night.  The mounting of the opera, as is usual with the Carl Rosa Company, was notable brilliant and artistic."

The company's Scottish performances in 1909 involved one week at the Alexandria, Greenock, one week at the New Gaiety, Ayr followed by two at Edinburgh's King's Theatre and two at the Glasgow Grand. 

The full schedule of 42 performances was:- 

w/c 8 Feb Mon Lohengrin; Tue Merry Wives of Windsor; Wed Maritana; Thu Rigoletto; Fri Carmen; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Faust.

w/c 15 Feb Mon Carmen Tue Faust; Wed Lohengrin; Thu Bohemian Girl; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c 22 Feb Mon Lohengrin; Tue Don Giovanni; Wed Carmen; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Marriage of Figaro; Sat m Cav and Pag; Sat e Trovatore

w/c 1 Mar Mon Carmen; Tue Marriage of Figaro; Wed Bohemian Girl; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Esmeralda; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Faust.

 w/c 8 Mar Mon Lohengrin; Tue Carmen; Wed Marriage of Figaro; Thu Esmeralda; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Cavand Pag; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c 15 Mar Mon Tannhauser; Tue Merry Wives of Windsor; Wed Bohemian Girl; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Faust.

 Twelve different operas plus Cav and Pag

Six Carmen; Four Cav and Pag; Faust; Lohengrin; Tannhauser

Three Merry Wives of Windsor; Marriage of Figaro; Bohemian Girl; Rigoletto; Trovatore

Two Don Giovanni; Esmeralda.

One Maritana 

Performance DatesRigoletto 1909

Map List

Alexandra Theatre | Greenock

11 Feb, 00.00

Grand Theatre, Glasgow | Glasgow

12 Mar, 19.30

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